Buying the Right Ukulele Strings

- Apr 11, 2019-

Without strings, you can’t play your ukulele (of course). Without good strings, you will never get the full acoustic potential of your wonderful ukulele. Most low-budget ukuleles have very cheap strings, not plastic. With a small investment, you get a new set of high quality strings. This will greatly improve the sound of your ukulele.

Different sizes of different ukulele

As explained in the ukulele purchase guide, ukulele has different sizes, mainly in four types: soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Each dimension has a different scale (distance from bridge to nut) length and different tension requirements. Therefore, not every ukulele string is suitable for every type of ukulele. Below is an overview of the different types of ukulele and their typical features.In most cases, the ruler length and / or total length will be mentioned on the package of the string set. If not, it should at least mention the ukulele type.

Different types of ukulele strings

Most ukulele strings are made of nylon polymer. These are the types of strings that provide the typical ukulele sound. However, there are some very interesting options. The following is an overview of these different types.

Nylon

As mentioned earlier, these are the most commonly used string types. However, there are many different types of nylon polymers that produce different sounds. This makes the sound possible depending on the brand. A low budget line is produced by extrusion, that is, the molten nylon polymer is pushed through a hole having a specific diameter. The same process is used for more expensive strings, but they are ground after extrusion to produce a more consistent diameter.

Nylon will extend over time, so you may need to re-adjust your ukulele. It is not affected by humidity, which can cause the strings to stretch more or less. The most well-known brands offering quality nylon ukulele strings are Aquila (of course) and D’Addario. They have good stability, durability and warmth of traditional ukulele sounds.

Fluorocarbon

This material is also a polymer and is traditionally used as a fishing line. It provides a brighter sound than nylon. If you play a lot of your ukulele outside a house with a very hot temperature, this is perfect because this type of string is less affected.

Which strings to choose?

There is no correct answer. The same set of strings on two different ukuleles sounds completely different. Try to find the right suit that matches your instrument and playing style. Fortunately, ukulele strings are not expensive (even the highest quality strings), so you can experiment with different types of strings and different brands. But it all depends on you.